<strong>Octopath Traveler 2 release date, characters, and mechanics</strong>

Jan 23, 2023

Reading time: 3 min

Octopath Traveler 2 brings another mixed-media RPG adventure to the Nintendo Switch, and its release date is just around the corner.

The original Octopath Traveler dazzled critics and fans alike after its 2018 release. Developers Square Enix and Acquire are now putting the finishing touches on a sequel to the super-sized RPG. While fans of the original are chomping at the bit to play, there will be a lot more changes than fans may expect. Here’s everything you should know about Octopath Traveler 2, from its intended release date to its flashy new gameplay mechanics.

Octopath Traveler 2 release date confirmed for February

The official release date for Octopath Traveler 2 is February 24, 2023.

That date was announced in the reveal trailer, which was first shown in September of 2022. Development on the game was largely done in silence, as fans only learned about the game five months before its release. Considering that the release is less than two months away, it is very unlikely that Octopath Traveler 2 will be delayed past that date. If so, it will be announced on the official Nintendo store page.

Players who purchase Octopath Traveler 2 on Switch before the February 24 release date get a small bundle of in-game items as a reward. None of them are exclusive to the preorder bonus, and all of them can be acquired just by playing the game normally. The Travel Provisions pack, as it is called, includes the following items.

Healing Grape (M) x 5
Inspiriting Plum (M) x 5
Revitalizing Jam x 2
Gold Dust (can be sold for 5,000 leaves in-game)

Octopath Traveler 2 features new gameplay mechanics

Octobpath Traveler 2 will also introduce several new gameplay changes from its first release.

The biggest change is to time, which now constantly functions on a day and night cycle. This system affects travel, combat, and, most importantly, path actions. NPC interactions can now change based on the time, and characters can perform different path actions in response. In the trailer, the new character Hikari is shown practicing her sword skills during the day and bribing officials for information during the night. This system could double the total number of path actions possible in the first game.

As far as actually controlling your super-sized party, Octopath Traveler 2 has a brand new cast and setting completely distinct from the first game. That means completely new battle abilities and path actions, which interact with the day and night cycle outlined above. In addition, characters now have a Limit Break-esque system called Latent Powers that can be used to perform especially powerful attacks or spells later into a battle. RPG fans can dig into all the new gameplay mechanics themselves on Octopath Traveler 2’s February 24 release date.